What happens to pets after they've passed on? Do they have spirit bodies too? Do they hang around their people after they pass away? Do they talk to you when they come through in readings? How do we know they are around?

First, yes, they pass into the spirit realm just like humans do. At the time of physical "death", they leave their physical body and become an etheric body (or body double of what they were physically). They remain in this body for a little while, and then, when it's time, they shed the etheric body where they then become a spirit body. They, just like humans, join their circle of loved ones, and most times (in my own experience as a medium) they are with the spirit people of their owners. Sometimes these spirit people just help bring them through, but normally, I see them holding the animal saying "tell her I've got the cat", or "the dog is ok … it's important for him to know", etc.

Many people know their spirit pets are around because they'll hear, feel or see them near after the pet has passed away. And no, it doesn't have to be only dogs or cats ... all animals have souls and therefore return to a spirit form just as we do. My mom is an avid animal lover and took care of injured birds primarily in her career as a wildlife rehabilitator. I remember stories when I was really young, about hearing her favorite bird chirp or fly by after he'd passed away. This, not only a few days afterwards (which is typical ... new spirit beings tend to hang around the earth plane for a bit after they pass to say goodbyes or check on their loved ones) but months or more. Our hamsters did the same thing... we'd hear the wheel turning when there was no hamster in the cage - late at night - same hamster noises. A woman at a store once told my mom that she had a cute dog - and then realized it wasn't there anymore. My mom said, "what dog?" and the woman said, "I just saw a large black dog near your legs". This was a few years after my favorite dog, Sunshine, passed away. She was a beautiful black dog and loved my mom.

Do they ALWAYS stay around us? No, I don't believe they do; they have things to do just as our spirit people do. But I do know they check in here and there just like our spirit people. I've found that some animals who suffered with an illness or debilitating disease before they passed (many times these are animals who had to be put down) are so relieved and happy about not being ill or in pain any longer, they just take off and RUN! :) I felt that so much with our sweet dog, Sammy - he just seemed to float up and away! He had suffered briefly with liver failure after having epilepsy for years before. The liver failure came out of the blue and so fast, and we couldn't bear him being in pain ... but he must have been relieved. I felt him just drift off and away and it was so peaceful. You could just sense how much better things were for him. Sometimes, my son says he sees him under the table, but I haven't seen or felt him much except for hearing from him once during a reading I had, and I also connected to him once during a meditation. He came in so clearly and it was wonderful to see him again, and... he looked just like he did when he was healthy.

How else do we know our spirit pets are around? They'll show up as orbs or even manifest partially or fully like my black dog did with my mom. You may be able to smell them or hear them meow or bark or squawk, squeak, etc., you may feel them run by you or just really know they're in the room. Many times (and this STILL happens to me with a cat I had 20 years ago) if they slept with you on the bed, you may feel them jump up and lie down on the bed just as they did when they were physically here. I love that when that happens… I'll feel a plop near my feet and circling (like cats do when they are trying to get comfy laying down) and then it's still.

Our spirit animals love us unconditionally just like they did when they were here on the earth plane, and do hang around us when they aren't busy themselves - again, just like spirit people. They seem to make sure to come in with our spirit people during most readings, especially when my client is a huge animal lover or there is a specific reason to come through. Sometimes we feel or see them around, sometimes not, but we always know they love us and they know we did the best job we could. Keep them in your prayers and just remember to keep talking to them. They can hear you! :)

After a life-changing awakening, Barb felt the strong nudge from spirit to pursue the path of mediumship, and has been deeply involved in spiritual consulting and mediumship ever since. She now does this unique work full-time to help bring her clients comfort, healing, enlightenment and insight by proving the existence of life after "death" through mediumship, and gives inspiration and guidance from spirit through her spiritual consultations. Barb's passion is teaching people about the spirit realm and the afterlife, whether it's by demonstrating mediumship by doing readings for larger audiences, or teaching classes and workshops. She stresses that anyone can connect to spirit to some degree if they work hard at developing. This being said, she also stresses that it most definitely comes more naturally to some people than others, but that we can all learn to connect to our own spirit people ourselves, and be more aware of the subtle signs spirit gives us to let us know they're around. Barb also teaches classes on learning to use and listen to our own intuition and develop our psychic abilities more strongly to help us make the best decisions for ourselves and our souls' growth. Barb has a tremendous reputation on eBay, Keen, and has a steady client base built mainly on referrals and references. She was featured in the Sunday edition of The Toronto Star in a story on eBay mediums, "Long-distance Mediums - Cyber-Psychics Do Their Readings Across the Miles". She is a Certified Psychic® with the American Association of Professional Psychics, Inc. (AAPP) which is registered with the US Government, and a member of American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena (AAEVP). Visit her website at www.BarbMallon.com and/or email her at info@barbmallon.com